Sam Hamilton takes a look at the next episode in the much-loved Pixar franchise.

The fourth entry in Pixar’s flagship franchise starts and ends, like its predecessors, with Randy Newman’s score. It is nothing short of remarkable (and fitting) that Toy Story 4’s audio design meets every single beat with the appropriate note, whether gleeful, melancholic, poignant, or silent, to form an audiovisual whole that moves its audience wordlessly. Pixar’s recent track record displays a penchant for this kind of traditional moviegoing experience – Up, WALL-E, Finding Nemo, or the “When She Loved Me” sequence from Toy Story 2 place equal importance on sound and visuals. Toy Story 4 continues this trend. 

In a similar tearjerking ilk to The Red Turtle (2016), Toy Story 4 makes for delightful entertainment, managing in ninety minutes to achieve an emotional depth far beyond that of other Disney products. It is no coincidence that the ‘original story by’ credit extends to eight names; we’re exposed to a finely tuned, endlessly multifaceted narrative that seems to deepen at every turn. Without venturing into the spoiler zone, this was always expected to be the concluding chapter of the Toy Story franchise and, providing it is, we fade out on a spectacular four-film dynasty that will surely set the family film benchmark for time to come. It is the end to the fable of loyal Sheriff Woody and his shepherdess-turned-Sarah-Connor amour Bo Peep, drawing the curtain on series icons like Buzz Lightyear, Rex, and Mister Potato Head. But the celebration of female characters Bo and villain Gabby Gabby forms Toy Story 4’s narrative heartbeat, effortlessly centering their ups, downs, and evolutions. 

Once again, the story beings with a young child’s craving for a friend; in this case, a friend crafted by the hand of  kindergarten-aged Bonnie with throwaway items. Brought to life in magnificent style by Tony Hale, the wacky character Forky is horrified by his own existence to the extent of believing he is not a toy, but trash. Forky’s addition to the gang turns out to be a literal fork in the road for Woody, a now sidelined character in Bonnie’s toy entourage replaced by the ever-cool Sheriff Jessie. Feeling overtaken – even emasculated – by his lack of purpose, Woody takes it upon himself to usher Forky into the realisation that everyone loves him deeply, a theme that continues to pervade the Toy Story extended metaphor. For a series that has always been ripe with intelligent imagery, Toy Story 4 unravels into a story so loaded with subtext that it could explode at any moment – not with complication, but with sheer compositional brilliance.

However, all this talk of imagery and endings treads over the irresistible charm of the script. Negotiating an ever-growing cast of stuffed, porcelain, and human characters is a task writers Stephany Folsom and Andrew Stanton approach with ease, peppering a clockwork-like structure with countless laughs. Pitch-perfect roles for comedy duo Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele ignite the second act with humor before a beautifully ironic Keanu Reeves cameo steals an entire scene later on. But Toy Story 4’s euphoric highs are often punctuated by ripples of concern, fear, and/or genuine sadness that weave into one other to create a realism that exceeds previous entries. These twists and turns of sentiment occur within individual scenes but never seem conflicted. Altogether, they make the runtime sweep by in a flurry of giggling joy and profound emotion.

So if you want heartwarming, you got it. If you want references to pop culture, Pixar films, and cinema history at large, you got that too. But as for the technical stuff? Simply put, the old cat is back. John Lasseter’s first entry, back in 1995, revolutionised mainstream animation by input of computer processing. It feels entirely appropriate that Toy Story 4 should once again make Pixar the poster boy for animation everywhere. Inside Out (2015) director Josh Cooley and cinematographers Justin Lin and Jean-Claude Kalache are all over this thing, and they want you to know it. From the very first shot of a worn-tarmacked Elm Street (the one where Andy lives, not Freddy Krueger) to the outstandingly picturesque finale, this is a visual tour de force to be watched, savoured, and watched again.

By the time the sun sets on Toy Story and the lights rise in the theatre, it becomes clear that the hesitant few who suspected this fourth entry to be an unnecessary extension to a perfect trilogy, it is a happy loss. This is the ending we never knew we needed – an instant Disney classic.

Toy Story 4 is still showing in select cinemas and will be released on DVD on October the 21st. Check out the trailer below:

Srishti Chakraborty reviews Pixar’s much anticipated sequel to a childhood favourite. 

While I might not remember the first time I ever watched Pixar’s The Incredibles, I remember all the other times I’ve watched it since. I remember watching it before Christmas when I was about 6 and asking Santa for superpowers, even though I was Hindu and didn’t actually celebrate Christmas. I remember forcing my poor babysitter to watch it with my younger sister and I every time our parents went for a night out. To be fair, I remember cancelling Saturday night plans to watch The Incredibles and eat pizza just a few months ago. In fact, if I’ve flaked on plans with you, it was probably to eat pizza and watch The Incredibles.

So, needless to say, when Incredibles 2 was announced, I was ecstatic. But with great films don’t necessarily come great sequels (see: Mean Girls 2), and with 14 years of anticipation building up to it, Incredibles 2 had a lot to live up to. That being said, there is no doubt that the film does not disappoint – from hilarious and punchy dialogue to thrilling action sequences to all around good storytelling, Incredibles 2 is just as brilliant as it’s predecessor, if not even better.

The film picks up directly from the ending of its prequel, with the Parr family ready to take on ‘The Underminer’ and save Metroville from destruction once again, bringing the audience right back into the action from the get-go. Like all sequels, the plot line of Incredibles 2 is essentially the same as that of the first film: superheroes are illegal, the family is undercover, and a mysterious benefactor asks for their help to set in motion a chain of events that puts the Parr family through the ringer. Where the last film saw Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) jump into action against fan-turned-villain Syndrome, in Incredibles 2, Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) takes the helm as the poster girl for a pro-superhero campaign funded by billionaires and hero sympathisers Winston and Evelyn Deaver (Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener). Despite this, Incredibles 2 does not feel like some corporate rehash of its prequel but instead, is able to use its old tropes and quirks to explore a new side of its premise and characters.

Much of the beauty of the first film lay in the fact that it was so much more than a film about superheroes – it was a film about family. Siblings who constantly annoyed each other, an adorable baby, a cool uncle, awkward dinner conversations, parents fighting about who needs to yell at their kids: all of these were woven into the film’s thrilling adventure plot, making it relatable and layered. As such, the latest instalment is able to show you even more of the Parrs’ recognisable family life: Mr. Incredible learning to play house husband and second fiddle to his wife, Elastigirl learning to trust her husband to manage the kids, Violet starting to date – the film remains a realistically grounded family-comedy full of scenes you will recognise from real life. It is funny and engaging, and makes you love its characters even more than you already did.

The film’s action sequences are a joyride. The Deavers’ plan to make superheroes legal again involves Elastigirl openly fighting crime across the country; in her first altercation, she confronts her new nemesis, the ‘Screenslaver’, a villain using screens to hypnotise and brainwash people. Though you can smell the film’s plot twist from a mile away, this does little to hamper your enjoyment of the action. Given the trend of gritty and realistic superhero movies, the dynamic and unapologetically far-fetched action of Incredibles 2 is a breath of fresh air, and there’s an odd satisfaction in seeing Elastigirl save the day by making herself into a parachute once again. The slapstick sight gags that intercut the action are equally as wonderfully animated, and the dialogue is as funny as ever. Though the sequel has none of the quotability of “I’m your wife, I’m the greatest good you’re ever going to get” (and perhaps the most awkward moment of the film is the missed beat where they tried to recreate this iconic line), the snappy punchlines and witty one-liners are just as hilarious. 

Director Brad Bird has allowed the Incredibles franchise to evolve in all the right ways. While the animation, comedy, and the family values at the heart of the first film have not changed, and everyone’s favourite characters and moments are given their due respect, Incredibles 2’s undercutting commentary is on feminism, capitalism, and the difficulty of family life. It feels as if the franchise has grown in the same way that its original fans have. In a world where, spoilers, Thanos has wiped out half of the MCU while real life can get pretty dark and scary, Incredibles 2 is the familiar woke superhero comedy we all need.

Incredibles 2 is showing in cinemas across the UK now. Watch the trailer below.